Week 10 Day 4 Devotions
Work Is Good
“The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” Genesis 2:15
The story of God creating the universe, the earth, the Garden of Eden and people, is a beautiful one, not only in what it tells us but also in the way it tells us. There is a beautiful rhythm involving God speaking, creation following, God seeing that it is good, evening leading into morning and so on for six days, culminating of course in the creation of human beings in the image of God.
Wesley draws our attention to the following: “Observe,
(1.) The place appointed for Adam's residence was a garden; not an ivory house. As clothes came in with sin, so did houses. The heaven was the roof of Adam's house, and never was any roof so curiously cieled and painted: the earth was his floor, and never was any floor so richly inlaid: the shadow of the trees was his retirement, and never were any rooms so finely hung: Solomon's in all their glory were not arrayed like them.
(2.) The contrivance and furniture of this garden was the immediate work of God's wisdom and power. The Lord God planted this garden, that is, he had planted it, upon the third day when the fruits of the earth were made. We may well suppose it to be the most accomplished place that ever the sun saw, when the All - sufficient God himself designed it to be the present happiness of his beloved creature.
(3.) The situation of this garden was extremely sweet; it was in Eden, which signifies delight and pleasure.”
Notice now what God does with that which He has created in His own image; He puts him in the garden to work it and take care of it. Many people wrongly believe that work was a punishment and a consequence of sin. It isn't. We were created for the good things that God has prepared for us and work is one of those things.
Walter Brueggemann makes these comments on the above verse and they are relevant to us as we plan our day and our life with God: “The human creature is to care for and tend the garden. Work is good, surely, to enhance the garden. From the beginning of human destiny, God is prepared to entrust the garden to this special creature. From the beginning, the human creature is called, given a vocation, and expected to share in God's work.”
Thank God for calling you and giving you a vocation and ask Him how you can share in His work today.
Summoned my labour to renew,
And glad to act my part,
Lord, in thy name my work I do,
And with a single heart. (312)
